Ball catching device

ABSTRACT

A ball catching device includes a glove, a holding portion, an operation unit, a press plate, and two clamping brackets. The holding portion includes two symmetric holding boards combined with each other. The operation unit is mounted on the holding portion and includes a control lever, a movable rod, a compression member, a washer, and a push block. Thus, the ball catching device can be operated easily and conveniently, thereby greatly facilitating the user practicing catching the ball. In addition, the ball catching device can catch the ball rigidly and stably.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a ball catching device, and more particularly to a ball catching device that is operated easily and conveniently, thereby greatly facilitating the user practicing catching the ball.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] A conventional glove can be used to catch a ball, such as the baseball. However, the conventional glove has greater thickness and heavier weight, thereby causing inconvenience to the user when practicing catching the ball. In addition, the glove cannot hold the ball stably, so that the ball easily falls out of the glove.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a ball catching device that can be operated easily and conveniently, thereby greatly facilitating the user practicing catching the ball.

[0006] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a ball catching device that can catch the ball rigidly and stably.

[0007] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a ball catching device, comprising a glove, a holding portion, an operation unit, and two symmetric clamping brackets, wherein:

[0008] the glove has a rear portion formed with a through hole;

[0009] the holding portion is mounted on the glove and includes two symmetric holding boards combined with each other, each of the two holding boards has a front wall having an upper end provided with an upper extension plate and a lower end provided with a lower extension plate, the upper extension plate of each of the two holding boards has a bottom face provided with an upper pivot shaft and has a side formed with a receiving recess, the lower extension plate of each of the two holding boards has a top face provided with a lower pivot shaft;

[0010] the operation unit is mounted on the holding portion and includes a control lever, a movable rod, a compression member, a washer, and a push block;

[0011] the control lever of the operation unit is pivotally mounted in the two holding boards of the holding portion and has an upper section formed with a receiving space;

[0012] the movable rod of the operation unit has a first end received in the receiving space of the control lever, a mediate portion formed with a mounting ring and a second end formed with an outer thread;

[0013] the compression member of the operation unit is mounted on the movable rod and has a first end rested on the mounting ring;

[0014] the washer of the operation unit is mounted on the movable rod and is rested on a second end of the compression member;

[0015] the push block of the operation unit is movably mounted in the receiving recess of each of the two holding boards and has a first end formed with a screw bore screwed on the outer thread of the movable rod;

[0016] each of the two clamping brackets is pivotally mounted on a respective one of the two holding boards;

[0017] each of the two clamping brackets has an upper end formed with a pivot hole to receive the upper pivot shaft of the upper extension plate of a respective one of the two holding boards, the upper end of each of the two clamping brackets has an inner side provided with a pushed block rested on a second end of the push block of the operation unit;

[0018] each of the two clamping brackets has a lower end formed with a pivot hole to receive the lower pivot shaft of the lower extension plate of a respective one of the two holding boards.

[0019] Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ball catching device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0021]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective assembly view of the ball catching device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0022]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a clamping bracket of the ball catching device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0023]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a press plate of the ball catching device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0024]FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of the ball catching device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0025]FIG. 6 is a partially exploded perspective view of the ball catching device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0026]FIG. 7 is a partially exploded perspective view of the ball catching device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0027]FIG. 8 is a side plan cross-sectional assembly view of the ball catching device as shown in FIG. 2;

[0028]FIG. 9 is a schematic operational view of the ball catching device as shown in FIG. 8 in use;

[0029]FIG. 10 is a top plan partially cut-away cross-sectional assembly view of the ball catching device as shown in FIG. 2;

[0030]FIG. 11 is a schematic operational view of the ball catching device as shown in FIG. 10 in use; and

[0031]FIG. 12 is a top plan partially cut-away cross-sectional assembly view of the ball catching device as shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-8, a ball catching device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a glove 1, a holding portion 2, an operation unit 3, a press plate 4, and two symmetric clamping brackets 5.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the glove 1 has a rear portion formed with a through hole 11 and two spaced connecting plates 12 each located beside the through hole 11. The glove 1 has a front portion provided with an elastic binding strap 13.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the holding portion 2 includes two symmetric holding boards 21 combined with each other. Each of the two holding boards 21 has a center formed with a finger passage hole 211. One of the two holding boards 21 is formed with a pivot hole 213, and the other one of the two holding boards 21 is provided with a protruding pivot block 212 inserted into the pivot hole 213.

[0035] Each of the two holding boards 21 has a front wall having an upper end provided with an upper extension plate 214 and a lower end provided with a lower extension plate 215. The upper extension plate 214 of each of the two holding boards 21 has a bottom face provided with an upper pivot shaft 216 and has a side formed with a receiving recess 217. The lower extension plate 215 of each of the two holding boards 21 has a top face provided with a lower pivot shaft 218 and has a side provided with a front limit block 219 and a rear limit block 210. The front wall of each of the two holding boards 21 is provided with a protruding pivot ear 21 a formed with a pivot hole 21 b.

[0036] The front wall of each of the two holding boards 21 has an outer side formed with an insertion groove 21 d for insertion of a respective one of the two connecting plates 12 (see FIG. 7) of the glove 1. Each of the two holding boards 21 includes a fixing plate 21 c (see FIG. 7) inserted into the insertion groove 21 d to fix the respective connecting plate 12 of the glove 1.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 3 is mounted on the holding portion 2 and includes a control lever 31, a movable rod 32, a compression member 33, a washer 34, and a push block 35.

[0038] The control lever 31 of the operation unit 3 is pivotally mounted in the two holding boards 21 of the holding portion 2 and is formed with a pivot hole 311 for passage of the pivot block 212 of the respective holding board. The control lever 31 has an upper section formed with a receiving space 312.

[0039] The movable rod 32 of the operation unit 3 has a first end received in the receiving space 312 of the control lever 31, a mediate portion formed with a mounting ring 321 and a second end formed with an outer thread 322.

[0040] The compression member 33 of the operation unit 3 is mounted on the movable rod 32 and has a first end rested on the mounting ring 321.

[0041] The washer 34 of the operation unit 3 is mounted on the movable rod 32 and is rested on a second end of the compression member 33. The washer 34 is formed with a through hole 341 for passage of the movable rod 32.

[0042] The push block 35 of the operation unit 3 is movably mounted in the receiving recess 217 of each of the two holding boards 21 and has a first end formed with a screw bore 351 screwed on the outer thread 322 of the movable rod 32.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 4-6, the press plate 4 is pivotally mounted on the holding portion 2 and has a lower portion having two sides each provided with a pivot axle 41 pivotally mounted in the pivot hole 21 b of the pivot ear 21 a of a respective one of the two holding boards 21. In addition, the press plate 4 has an upper end extended into the through hole 11 of the glove 1 to combine with the binding strap 13 of the glove 1.

[0044] The ball catching device further comprises a compression member 33 mounted in the press plate 4 and has a first end secured on the lower portion of the press plate 4 and a second end secured on the front wall of the combined holding boards 21. Preferably, the lower portion of the press plate 4 is formed with an insertion recess 42 for insertion of the first end of the compression member 33.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, each of the two clamping brackets 5 is pivotally mounted on a respective one of the two holding boards 21 and has a mediate portion provided with a soft protective layer 51. Preferably, each of the two clamping brackets 5 is substantially U-shaped.

[0046] Each of the two clamping brackets 5 has an upper end 52 formed with a pivot hole 521 to receive the upper pivot shaft 216 of the upper extension plate 214 of a respective one of the two holding boards 21. The upper end 52 of each of the two clamping brackets 5 has an inner side provided with a pushed block 522 rested on a second end of the push block 35 of the operation unit 3. The upper end 52 of each of the two clamping brackets 5 has a bottom provided with a plurality of circularly arranged ratchet teeth 523. The ratchet teeth 523 of the two clamping brackets 5 mesh with each other, so that the two clamping brackets 5 can be synchronously pivoted relative to each other.

[0047] Each of the two clamping brackets 5 has a lower end 53 formed with a pivot hole 531 to receive the lower pivot shaft 218 of the lower extension plate 215 of a respective one of the two holding boards 21. The lower end 53 of each of the two clamping brackets 5 has a side provided with a protruding limit block 532 which can be moved to abut the rear limit block 210 of the lower extension plate 215 of the respective holding board 21 when the lower end 53 of each of the two clamping brackets 5 is moved to abut the front limit block 219 of the lower extension plate 215 of the respective holding board 21. The lower end 53 of each of the two clamping brackets 5 has an inside formed with a receiving chamber 533.

[0048] The ball catching device further comprises two torsion springs 54 each mounted on the lower pivot shaft 218 of the lower extension plate 215 of a respective one of the two holding boards 21 and each having a first end received in the receiving chamber 533 of a respective one of the two clamping brackets 5 and a second end rested on the rear limit block 210 (see FIG. 12) of the lower extension plate 215 of the respective holding board 21.

[0049] In assembly, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 12, the press plate 4 and the two clamping brackets 5 are extended through the through hole 11 into the glove 1, and the upper end of the press plate 4 is combined with the binding strap 13 of the glove 1. Then, each of the two connecting plates 12 (see FIG. 7) of the glove 1 and the respective fixing plate 21 c (see FIG. 7) are together inserted into the insertion groove 21 d of the respective holding board 21, so that the glove 1 and the holding portion 2 are combined with each other rigidly and stably.

[0050] In operation, referring to FIGS. 8-11 with reference to FIGS. 1-7, when the lower section of the control lever 31 of the operation unit 3 is pressed by the user's one hand as shown in FIG. 9, the control lever 31 of the operation unit 3 is pivoted on the pivot block 212 of the respective holding board 21, so that the movable rod 32 and the push block 35 of the operation unit 3 are pushed forward to push the pushed block 522 of each of the two clamping brackets 5, thereby moving and pivoting each of the two clamping brackets 5 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The ratchet teeth 523 of the two clamping brackets 5 mesh with each other, so that the two clamping brackets 5 can be synchronously pivoted relative to each other. When the two clamping brackets 5 are pivoted outward as shown in FIG. 11, the glove 1 is fully developed as shown in FIG. 1 to catch the ball. When the ball is caught by the glove 1, the pressing force applied on the lower section of the control lever 31 of the operation unit 3 is removed, so that the two clamping brackets 5 are pivoted inward to return to the original position as shown in FIG. 10 by the restoring force of the compression member and two torsion springs 54 to clamp the ball in the glove 1, thereby preventing the ball from falling from the glove 1.

[0051] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A ball catching device, comprising a glove, a holding portion, an operation unit, and two symmetric clamping brackets, wherein: the glove has a rear portion formed with a through hole; the holding portion is mounted on the glove and includes two symmetric holding boards combined with each other, each of the two holding boards has a front wall having an upper end provided with an upper extension plate and a lower end provided with a lower extension plate, the upper extension plate of each of the two holding boards has a bottom face provided with an upper pivot shaft and has a side formed with a receiving recess, the lower extension plate of each of the two holding boards has a top face provided with a lower pivot shaft; the operation unit is mounted on the holding portion and includes a control lever, a movable rod, a compression member, a washer, and a push block; the control lever of the operation unit is pivotally mounted in the two holding boards of the holding portion and has an upper section formed with a receiving space; the movable rod of the operation unit has a first end received in the receiving space of the control lever, a mediate portion formed with a mounting ring and a second end formed with an outer thread; the compression member of the operation unit is mounted on the movable rod and has a first end rested on the mounting ring; the washer of the operation unit is mounted on the movable rod and is rested on a second end of the compression member; the push block of the operation unit is movably mounted in the receiving recess of each of the two holding boards and has a first end formed with a screw bore screwed on the outer thread of the movable rod; each of the two clamping brackets is pivotally mounted on a respective one of the two holding boards; each of the two clamping brackets has an upper end formed with a pivot hole to receive the upper pivot shaft of the upper extension plate of a respective one of the two holding boards, the upper end of each of the two clamping brackets has an inner side provided with a pushed block rested on a second end of the push block of the operation unit; each of the two clamping brackets has a lower end formed with a pivot hole to receive the lower pivot shaft of the lower extension plate of a respective one of the two holding boards.
 2. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the two holding boards has a center formed with a finger passage hole.
 3. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 1, wherein one of the two holding boards is formed with a pivot hole, and the other one of the two holding boards is provided with a protruding pivot block inserted into the pivot hole, and the control lever of the operation unit is formed with a pivot hole for passage of the pivot block of the respective holding board.
 4. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lower extension plate of each of the two holding boards has a side provided with a front limit block and a rear limit block.
 5. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rear portion of the glove is formed with two spaced connecting plates each located beside the through hole, and the front wall of each of the two holding boards has an outer side formed with an insertion groove for insertion of a respective one of the two connecting plates of the glove.
 6. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 5, wherein each of the two holding boards includes a fixing plate inserted into the insertion groove to fix the respective connecting plate of the glove.
 7. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the washer is formed with a through hole for passage of the movable rod.
 8. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the front wall of each of the two holding boards is provided with a protruding pivot ear formed with a pivot hole, and the ball catching device further comprises a press plate is pivotally mounted on the holding portion and has a lower portion having two sides each provided with a pivot axle pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of the pivot ear of a respective one of the two holding boards.
 9. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the glove has a front portion provided with an elastic binding strap, and the press plate has an upper end extended into the through hole of the glove to combine with the binding strap of the glove.
 10. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a compression member mounted in the press plate and has a first end secured on the lower portion of the press plate and a second end secured on the front wall of the combined holding boards.
 11. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the lower portion of the press plate is formed with an insertion recess for insertion of the first end of the compression member.
 12. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the two clamping brackets has a mediate portion provided with a soft protective layer.
 13. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upper end of each of the two clamping brackets has a bottom provided with a plurality of circularly arranged ratchet teeth, and the ratchet teeth of the two clamping brackets mesh with each other, so that the two clamping brackets can be synchronously pivoted relative to each other.
 14. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 4, wherein the lower end of each of the two clamping brackets has a side provided with a protruding limit block which can be moved to abut the rear limit block of the lower extension plate of the respective holding board when the lower end of each of the two clamping brackets is moved to abut the front limit block of the lower extension plate of the respective holding board.
 15. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 4, further comprising two torsion springs each mounted on the lower pivot shaft of the lower extension plate of a respective one of the two holding boards and each urged between a respective one of the two clamping brackets and the rear limit block of the lower extension plate of the respective holding board.
 16. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 15, wherein the lower end of each of the two clamping brackets has an inside formed with a receiving chamber, and each of the two torsion springs has a first end received in the receiving chamber of a respective one of the two clamping brackets and a second end rested on the rear limit block of the lower extension plate of the respective holding board.
 17. The ball catching device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the two clamping brackets is substantially U-shaped. 